The best cooler for a beginner is the Coleman Xtreme Cooler 52QT. Capacity is about 49L, weight about 4.6kg, cold-keeping about 5 days, and the price JPY 10,890. For a family of 4's one night the guide is 44 to 55L, and it fits right in. I lined up 5 coolers on capacity, weight and price, including a DAIWA for solo use and a LOGOS for 2 nights or more.
The Gear Nerd's Pick
Decide a cooler's capacity from headcount and nights. For a family of 4's one night it's 44 to 55L, which is 11 to 14L per person per night when split among 4. The 52QT is about 49L, at JPY 222 per liter and 94g per liter, the cheapest and lightest of the 11 hard coolers. So for a beginner's first cooler, this is my pick.
Key points
- The guide for a family of 4's one night is 44 to 55L. Most of the 116 families Coleman surveyed used a hard cooler this size
- The 52QT is about 49L and about 4.6kg, at JPY 10,890. It is said to hold 10 two-liter PET bottles. Loaded, that is 20 + 4.6 = 24.6kg, a weight for 2 people to carry
- For a solo night, the DAIWA Coolline α3 GU 1500 (15L). Its cold-keeping label, KEEP 41, is 1.7 days (41 ÷ 24)
What is in this article (15 items)
- A cooler's capacity is 44 to 55L for a family of 4's one night
- I looked at capacity, weight, then cold retention
- What size cooler should a beginner choose?
- The 3 common stumbling points with coolers
- Quick table of 5 coolers for beginners
- What decided the order of the 5 lanterns
- No. 1 Coleman Xtreme Cooler 52QT | This is the one for a family's one night
- No. 2 Coleman Xtreme Wheel Cooler 50QT | With wheels
- No. 3 DAIWA Coolline α3 GU 1500 | 15L for one solo night
- No. 4 LOGOS Hyper Below-Freezing Cool Box Slip Lid 40 | For 2 nights or more
- No. 5 Coleman 54QT Steel Belt Cooler | A metal box of about 51L
- Dividing the three Coleman coolers by days of cold
- Food safety when you chill food
- Who is it for?
- FAQ
A cooler's capacity is 44 to 55L for a family of 4's one night
The guide is 44 to 55L for a family of 4's one night and 15 to 20L (calculated) for a solo night, adding room for ice. In Coleman's survey (116 family campers), most families staying one night used a hard cooler of 44 to 55L. Divided among 4, that is 11 to 14L per person per night.
I ranked on capacity, weight and price. Cold-keeping labels are measured differently by each company, so I only line up labels made under the same conditions.
I looked at capacity, weight, then cold retention
First I looked at capacity. Then weight and price per liter. When you spend over half the year camping, a cooler is a box you load and unload from the car every trip. So I look at weight and outside dimensions as much as cold-keeping days.
What size cooler should a beginner choose?
The guide for one night is headcount × 11 to 14L. 15 to 20L for solo, 44 to 55L for a family of 4. For 2 nights or more, rather than doubling the box, you can add a 25 to 35L soft cooler and split the food.
When you read a cold-keeping label, check the conditions. Shimano's COOL and DAIWA's KEEP use the same conditions, 40℃ with ice at 25% of capacity, so they can be compared side by side. I wrote this up in cooler capacity and cold-keeping labels compared.
The 3 common stumbling points with coolers
- Capacity: headcount × 11 to 14L. An oversized box takes up the cargo area too.
- Weight: can you carry it loaded? With ten 2L bottles in, the 52QT is 24.6kg.
- Carrying: if the car park is far from your site, choose one with wheels.
Quick table of 5 coolers for beginners
Scroll the table sideways →
| Model | Capacity | Weight | Cold-keeping figure | Official price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 1 Coleman Xtreme Cooler 52QT | About 49L | About 4.6kg | Cold-keeping about 5 days | JPY 10,890 |
| No. 2 Coleman Xtreme Wheel Cooler 50QT | About 47L | About 6.3kg | Cold-keeping about 5 days | JPY 13,970 |
| No. 3 DAIWA Coolline α3 GU 1500 | 15L | 3.2kg | KEEP 41 | JPY 17,600 |
| No. 4 LOGOS Hyper Below-Freezing Cool Box Slip Lid 40 | About 40L | About 4.2kg | 6 days or more | JPY 39,000 |
| No. 5 Coleman 54QT Steel Belt Cooler | About 51L | About 7.5kg | Cold-keeping about 4 days | JPY 31,900 |
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
Coleman Extreme Cooler 52QT
Lowest price on Rakuten: JPY 8,900 (as of 10/20). Prices vary by up to JPY 12,290 between shops. Prices change daily.
What decided the order of the 5 lanterns
| Rank | Model | Why it ranks here |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 52QT | About 49L, just right for a family of 4's 1 night. JPY 222 per liter and 94g per liter are the cheapest and lightest. No wheels |
| 2 | Wheel 50QT | With wheels and an extending handle. 1.7kg heavier than the 52QT and JPY 3,080 more |
| 3 | GU 1500 | 15L for one solo night. KEEP 41 is 1.7 days. The inside width is 17cm, so a 2L PET bottle won't stand upright |
| 4 | Slip Lid 40 | For 2 nights or more. About 4.2kg is roughly 4 tenths of the weight of the Snow Peak or YETI. JPY 39,000 is a lot |
| 5 | Steel Belt 54QT | About 51L at JPY 625 per liter. About 7.5kg, and near the top of the 5 coolers in weight and price |
No. 1 Coleman Xtreme Cooler 52QT | This is the one for a family's one night
I'll say it with some heat. JPY 222 per liter is the lowest figure in the hard cooler comparison, and 94g per liter was also the smallest. The inside height is 34cm, and it is said to hold ten 2L PET bottles. At JPY 10,890 with about 5 days of cold-keeping, it is a reasonable first box for a beginner.
This is a weak point. It has no wheels. Ten 2L bottles make 20 + 4.6 = 24.6kg, a weight for two people to carry. The outside is about 65×38×42cm, so decide in advance which way it sits in the cargo area.
No. 2 Coleman Xtreme Wheel Cooler 50QT | With wheels
If the car park is far from your site, this is it. About 47L and about 6.3kg, with wheels and an extending handle. It is 1.7kg heavier than the 52QT and costs JPY 3,080 more (13,970 − 10,890).
This is a weak point. Being heavier than the 52QT, loading and unloading from the car assumes two people.
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
Coleman Xtreme Wheeled Cooler 50QT
Lowest price on Rakuten: JPY 9,317 (as of 10/20). Prices vary by up to JPY 13,970 between shops. Prices change daily.
No. 3 DAIWA Coolline α3 GU 1500 | 15L for one solo night
KEEP 41 is 1.7 days (41 ÷ 24). Under the harsh conditions of 40℃ and 25% ice, it lasts beyond a 2-day, 1-night trip. At 3.2kg, it is a size that fits solo gear.
This is a weak point. The inside width is 17cm, so a tray of meat fills it in 1 row. At JPY 1,173 per liter, it costs far more than a big box.
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
Daiwa Cool Line α3 GU 1500
Lowest price on Rakuten: JPY 11,858 (as of 10/20). Prices vary by up to JPY 14,628 between shops. Prices change daily.
No. 4 LOGOS Hyper Below-Freezing Cool Box Slip Lid 40 | For 2 nights or more
LOGOS says it put in ice at 26% of capacity and freezing packs at 10%, left it in a 25℃ room, and ice was still there on day 7. At about 40L and about 4.2kg, it weighs around 40% of the Snow Peak (11kg) or YETI (10.43kg).
This is a weak point. It assumes 36% of the space goes to ice and cold packs, so the usable space is 25.6L. JPY 39,000 is a big price for a first 1 cooler.
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
LOGOS Hyper Subzero Cool Box Slip Lid 40
Lowest price on Rakuten: JPY 33,000 (as of 10/20). Prices vary by up to JPY 39,000 between shops. Prices change daily.
No. 5 Coleman 54QT Steel Belt Cooler | A metal box of about 51L
About 51L, and cold-keeping of about 4 days. At JPY 625 per liter, it is about 2.8 times the 52QT's JPY 222. It's the box for people who like the look of metal.
This is a weak point. About 7.5kg and JPY 31,900 are bigger numbers than the 52QT of the same capacity.
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
Coleman 54QT Steel Belt Cooler
Lowest price on Rakuten: JPY 25,520 (as of 10/20). Prices vary by up to JPY 76,490 between shops. Prices change daily.
Dividing the three Coleman coolers by days of cold
Each company measures days of cold differently, so I only divide the three Coleman models. Price per day of cold is JPY 2,178 for the 52QT (10,890 ÷ 5), JPY 2,794 for the Wheel 50QT (13,970 ÷ 5), and JPY 7,975 for the Steel Belt 54QT (31,900 ÷ 4).
Per day of cold, the Steel Belt costs about 3.7 times as much as the 52QT. What you pay for the metal look is exactly that gap.
Food safety when you chill food
Every label is a guide to how long the ice lasts, not a number for how many days you can keep food. The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries says to put raw meat and raw fish in separate plastic bags. Chill food well with cold packs and keep the box in a cool place.
Who is it for?
Who it suits most: beginners who stay one night with a family of 4. The 52QT is enough. If the car park is far, the Wheel 50QT; for a solo night, the GU 1500. For summer trips of 2 nights or more, the Slip Lid 40 is another way to go.
To settle your solo gear in one go, see Solo Camping Starter Set: 8 Essentials too. Families who worry about cargo space should compare the packed sizes in Best Tents for Beginners: 5 Picks.
FAQ
What is the best cooler for a beginner?
The Coleman Xtreme Cooler 52QT. About 49L and about 4.6kg, at JPY 10,890. It fits a family of 4 for 1 night.
How many liters of cooler does a family of 4 need for one night?
44 to 55L. It is the size that most families staying one night used in Coleman's survey.
Can I compare Shimano's COOL and Daiwa's KEEP side by side?
You can compare them. Both are times from the same conditions: 40℃ with ice at 25% of capacity. A KEEP 96 is 4 days (96 ÷ 24).
How much ice goes into the 52QT?
Using the same 25% of capacity that Daiwa uses for KEEP, the 52QT (about 49L) takes about 12.3L of ice (49 × 0.25). That leaves about 36.8L for food.
Gear in this article
Ads & images: Rakuten IchibaSources (7 official pages)
- Coleman official online shop: Xtreme Cooler/52QT
- Coleman official online shop: Xtreme Wheeled Cooler/50QT
- Coleman official online shop: 54QT Steel Belt Cooler
- Coleman official: cooler box feature page
- Daiwa official: Cool Line α3
- LOGOS Hyper Subzero Cool Box Slip Lid 40
- Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries: To enjoy cooking and barbecues safely at campsites
